Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology

Program of Study

Guidance from the American Psychological Association (APA) suggests the time to complete a doctoral degree in Health Service Psychology should take about five years from when a student is formally admitted to the doctoral program. This would not include a separate master’s degree, or a master’s degree awarded during the first one or two years of predoctoral study. In addition, the APA promotes a 7-year upper limit on attaining the degree, once doctoral study has commended. We support these timelines, and strongly endorse this guidance from the APA. Our typical students complete the program in four to five years.

The faculty makes every effort to assist our students to meet these expectations for completion. There are three years of full-time course work. Following the first year, a minimum of two semesters of practicum experience is required followed by a 12-month, full-time pre-doctoral internship in professional psychology. The doctoral dissertation will likely require nine to 12 months to prepare and complete, typically during and immediately following the internship year.

The overall program of study leading to the Ph.D. degree in Counseling Psychology
at West Virginia University is shown below.

CPSY 701

Advanced Counseling Psychology Interventions

3 cr.

CPSY 709

Adv. Group Counseling/Therapeutic Interventions

3 cr.

CPSY 734

Multicultural Psychology

3 cr.

CPSY 760

Introduction to Counseling Psychology

3 cr.

CPSY 763

Adv. Theories of Counseling Psychology

3 cr.

CPSY 764

Intellectual Assessment

4 cr.

CPSY 766

Vocational Theory/Assessment

3 cr.

CPSY 769

Personality Testing & Interpretation

3 cr.

CPSY 770

Doctoral Practicum in Counseling Psychology
Minimum of 9 credit hours/600 clock hours. See handbook for details.
Four semesters of practicum are required.

9 cr.

CPSY 772

Internship
Minimum of one full-time academic year.
Credit hours are six (6) each for Fall and Spring Semesters.

12 cr.

CPSY 780

Professional & Ethical Issues in Coun. Psych

3 cr.

CPSY 782

Research Methods & Design

3 cr.

CPSY 781

Research Practicum in Counseling Psychology

1 cr.

CPSY 783

Counseling Psychology Supervision Models

3 cr.

CPSY 797

Dissertation Research

18 cr.

CPSY 799

Doctoral Colloquium/Pro-Seminar

6 cr.

EDP 613

Statistical Methods 1

3 cr.

EDP 614

Statistical Methods 2

3 cr.

EDP 611

Measurement/Evaluation in Educational Psychology

3 cr.

Total number of credit hours in Counseling Psychology Core

89

Minor Area - Psychological Foundations:

CPSY 710

Cognitive-Affective Behavior

3 cr.

CPSY 735

Social Psychology

3 cr.

CPSY 738

Lifespan Development

3 cr.

CPSY 740

Assessment of Psychopathology

3 cr.

CPSY 745

History & Systems of Psychology

3 cr.

CPSY 750

Physiological Psychology

3 cr.

Total number of credit hours in the minor area

18

Total Program Credits: 107

It will take most students six semesters of full-time study to complete the basic course sequence of under which we are accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA). Taking classes during the summer is an option for certain courses (e.g., practicum) and may lighten the academic load, particularly during the third year when many of the basic courses are already completed.

The full course of study and many additional details may be found by referring to the Current Doctoral Student Handbook available on this website.